


assorted prompts

by ballpoint



Category: Marvel 616, Young Avengers
Genre: Gen, Underage Drinking, Weddings, white lies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-31
Updated: 2011-07-31
Packaged: 2017-10-22 00:59:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/231903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballpoint/pseuds/ballpoint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eli's best man to Teddy and Billy's wedding, Kate gets drunk, Teddy tells himself white lies when it comes to Billy</p>
            </blockquote>





	assorted prompts

**Author's Note:**

> Characters are trademarked to Marvel Comics and their creators. No profit is being made from this fanwork.

**  
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**Nuptials**

 **  
**

"So help me, if you say one thing about 'cleaning up nice', I won't be held responsible for my actions."

Eli squirmed as he tugged at his collar. He did clean up nice, the black suit showing off his broad shoulders, the crisp white shirt dazzling against the darkness of his skin. His shoes were actually dress shoes. Not Chuck Taylors, nor Timbs, but actual gentleman's shoes, with shiny leather and shoe laces. Eli stood there, tall and handsome in the formal parlour of the Avenger's mansion, surrounded by priceless beautiful things, like the little Queen Anne table topped with a Waterford crystal vase fizzing with an arrangement of white lilies, and dark green leaves.

In that position, just like that, Eli looked like an advert for one of those expensive cologne ads in the heavy glossy magazines. Or he would have done, if he'd stopped frowning.

Kate schooled her features into a neutral mask, as she took a step towards him, and batted his hands away.

"Hold on, your bow tie is crooked," Kate said, as she raised her hands and rested them against Eli's collar, feeling the flush of his skin, the bobbing of his adam's apple as he swallowed.

"You're nervous."

"I'm Billy's best man," Eli said. "He's counting on me to ... make a speech, to stand by him."

"You'll be fine," Kate tugged and smoothed the lapels of his coat into place. "We all love him and Teddy, and you've been with them from the start, it should be you."

"But you made it happen, despite everything," Eli fixed her with a look. "After Cap shut us down, and -"

"They gave me headway to prepare the wedding, that's all I need," Kate gave a windy sigh, and it was true.

"Don't start tearing up again, Kate, I'm warning you."

"Weddings make me happy, and after all we've been through, and the fact that we're all still together, all these years later? It's everything."

Eli gave her a smile then, sweet and sad. "At least they got there. We didn't."

"No," with one last tug and touch, Kate let her hands drop. "But they are Billy and Teddy - say it in one breath- and we were us."

"Yeah, we were. I didn't mean anything bad by it, I'm just in awe that Billy and Teddy held on through everything. That every road they take, it leads them back to _them_. I hope-" Eli touched her cheek. "That it's the same with you and Tommy."

"Eli," Kate couldn't help the sting of tears against her eyelids, as she linked her fingers in his, and rested her head against his shoulder. "You'll be a great best man."

"This will be the most epic wedding ever. If only because the couple is epic."

"And the best man and the wedding planner are the _apotheosis_ of epic."

They stood there, in the Avengers hall, just for a short while, looking at each other. Then without a word, Eli crooked his elbow, and Kate slipped her arm through his, as they walked out into the Avengers' garden to stand with Billy and Teddy.

 

 **  
**

**The Night They Invented Champagne**

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**

"EEElllliiiii," Kate drawled, as she threw her arms around his neck, relaxing her body so completely against his that she might have had the integral strength of a wet noodle. A giggle escaped from her lips as she tilted her head back, her hair falling into the inky night.

"Kate," Eli wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, hoping that the older Avengers didn't see fit to come out at the stairs of the mansion by the servants quarters leading to the garden. "What did you - are you _drunk_?"

Kate gave a haughty sniff, before she burst into giggles again. _Giggles_.

"I ju- jus' had champagne."

"How many glasses?"

"Three, I think? Four? Tommy kept refilling my glass. It would have been zude- drude? - no rude." Kate's voice perked up as she found the right word. "Rude. RUDE to say no."

"Tommy has a metabolism like a humming bird," Eli groused, steeling himself against Kate's stumbles, because in addition to being drunk as a skunk, she was wearing strappy heels as well. Heels. Oh, joy.

"Leave Tommy alone," Kate tried to scold, but with the alcohol in her speech, it took the sting out of her words somewhat. "Besides, I wanted champers-"

" _Champers_?"

"What the Britis' call it - Eliiii."

"Sorry," Eli swept her into a fireman's hold, as he gingerly took the stairs. It was one thing holding Kate when she was aware, but the way she was now? Yeah, a fireman's hold was best, even though her bottom was by his cheek, and her nose pressed in his back. Once they got on level ground, he placed her on the grassy path. Only for her to stumble, and him having to grab her by the waist with both hands, and her holding on to him again.

Kate's features were flushed, her eyes dreamy, her mouth wet with liquor. She pushed away from Eli, and he let her go, watching her step around in her heels, like Disney's bambi.

"Why are we- here?"

"Some fresh air should get you sober. The last thing we need is Mr Stark and the rest of the Avengers thinking we can't sit at the adults' table."

"Stop worrying, we kick ass. We're amazing. After that thing with Wanda, we've proved that we're amazing."

"You're proving that you can't handle your liquor."

"Hush, you." Kate shook her head, took a breath, before she ran her hands through her hair, trying to put it to rights. "Do you think I look pretty?"

In the soft light of the gardens, Kate glowed. Her hair in discordant waves around her shoulders, her body clad in some sort of dress that looked like gold lace, stopping at her mid thigh, teamed with matching shoes.

"Yeah," Eli cleared his throat, as he answered,"you've always been pretty. Why are you asking? You've never asked before."

"Because I've always wanted to be _capable_ and strong. I've always worked on being capable," Kate grew still, as she closed her eyes against the soft lights of the garden. "But sometimes, I want to be pretty too. So I thought - the dress, the shoes. My hair. I wanted to be pretty tonight. To make you look tonight. At me, I mean."

Eli's heart bumped against his ribs, it didn't matter what he said right now, because Kate was drunk, she'd never remember anyway - and there'd be no pressure on her side, or any awkwardness when he put his feelings out there, and if she ever remembered, he'd feign ignorance for both their sakes. "I've never stopped looking at you since we met. I- you look wonderful, Kate."

"Oh," Kate smiled dreamily, pressing her hands against her heart. Only in the next moment, her eyes widened, her body jerked. She jackknifed, her hair falling around her face. Eli recognised the symptoms rushed to her side, held her hair back from her face, only for her to throw up in the direction of his shoes.

It was a sad state of affairs, Eli thought, as he held her steady while she heaved her guts out, that she still carved that space out in his heart anyway.

 **  
**

**The Lies We Tell**

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**

In his short life, Teddy knew how things could change on a dime. His mom hadn't been a real estate agent, but a Skrull. He wasn't a mutant like he thought he was but half Skrull, half Kree.

They started the team with himself, Billy, Nate and Eli, only for Nate to go back, and Eli having _phases_ of being on the team, like cycles of the moon. All this to say, Teddy thought as Billy snuggled against him, the humid gust of air snuffling against the curve of his neck and chin, this couldn't _wouldn't_ last.

Beyond their bed, Teddy looked out at the silhouette of the mountains, the full moon making it almost bright as morning. They were in Wundagore, and Teddy idly traced patterns on the thin material of Billy's shirt, briefly pressing his lips against Billy's head before he closed his eyes.

"He did _what_?" Kate exclaimed the next morning, as Teddy brandished the note at breakfast. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tommy holding his palm over his eyes and shaking his head. "My brother is an idiot," he mumbled. Teddy didn't disagree with him there.

After Wanda came college, and alcohol in red solo cups. Assignments and Billy on the weekends.

"We aren't going to last," Teddy would say, his hands across his stomach, his eyes fixed on the ceiling while Billy tapped out an assignment, his laptop balancing on his knees. Billy only shrugged, as absently patted Teddy's thigh. "My mom would agree with you. Both of you should form a support group."

"Hardy har har."

***

"What's this?" Billy gave that sweet, familiar crooked smile as Teddy offered him a jewel sized box. At Teddy's shrug, Billy opened it, his eyebrows raised at the plain, gold band. "Whoa, time. What ever happened to that mantra from forever. _We won't last_ and the rest of the remixes?"

"We still might not," Teddy reached across the breakfast table, and touched his hand. "But I'm willing to gamble against the odds."

"In some other universe, I'm sure that's poetry. Luckily for you, I exist in this one, and am doing a post grad in physcology." Billy's smile grew brilliant. "Yes," he said.

Teddy brought Billy's fingers to his lips, knowing that even though this might all end tomorrow, he didn't care.


End file.
